Yotam Ottolenghi's aubergine with herbs: Opens up a whole world of cooking possibilities? Photograph: Colin Campbell for the Guardian

I'm hesitant about calling this a salad, because it is more of a condiment or antipasto. Still, it is definitely a starting point for a salad that you can take in all sorts of directions: add cooked butterbeans and dried or fresh cherry tomatoes, and increase both vinegar and oil; or mix with some just-cooked baby potatoes, roughly crushed, and serve warm with fresh rocket folded through and some extra olive oil; or add feta chunks and lightly toasted pine nuts or walnuts, and spoon over grilled sourdough. On the subject of nuts, next Friday is the first UK National Nut Day, launched by Liberation Foods, a Fairtrade nut company co-owned by farming organisations in some of the world's poorer countries, to encourage our consumption of nuts not only because they are so delicious, but for environmental and nutritional reasons, too. Serves four.

Heat the oven to 210C/410F/gas mark 6½. Cut the aubergines into roughly 3cm squarish chunks. Put in a large mixing bowl and add the salt, some black pepper, sunflower oil and most of the olive oil (save about 3 tbsp for frying the chilli and garlic). Toss and spread over two large baking sheets lined with nonstick baking parchment. Roast for about 30 minutes – it's important that the aubergines turn a good golden-brown colour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down.

While the aubergines are cooking, heat the reserved olive oil in a small saucepan and fry the chilli and garlic for about a minute, until the garlic turns a pale golden – watch out that you don't cook it further, or it may burn and go bitter. Transfer the chilli, garlic and oil to a large mixing bowl and add the cooked aubergine. Add the vinegar and herbs, mix, taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature.